The Town FilesHighgate, Vermont
Town in Franklin County · population 3,472 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $280,500
- Household income
- $81,017
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 44.0
Highgate is a town of 3,472 people in Franklin County, Vermont. The median home is worth $280,500, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Vermont towns, more walkable than 78% of Vermont towns, more vibrant than 70% of Vermont towns.
How Highgate ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Highgate is worth $280,500, close to the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $81,017, which is more affordable than 59% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $895 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Highgate | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $280,500 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $895 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $81,017 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 80.7% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.8% | — |
Who lives in Highgate
| People | Highgate | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 15.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.9% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.8% | 89.3% |
Weather in Highgate
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 8.2°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 79.9 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highgate since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 3, 1970 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 3, 1970.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 22, 2005.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4770: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
| March 20, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4695: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 17,250 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,487 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Highgate itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Towns near Highgate
- Swanton, VT4.8 mi · 6,701 people · home $285,100
- St. Albans, VT10.5 mi · 6,877 people · home $263,400
- St. Albans, VT11.3 mi · 6,988 people · home $363,300
- Enosburgh, VT16.2 mi · 2,810 people · home $223,100
- Georgia, VT17.0 mi · 4,845 people · home $360,300
- Fairfax, VT18.3 mi · 5,014 people · home $378,200
- Champlain, NY18.4 mi · 5,745 people · home $173,400
- Chazy, NY21.0 mi · 4,096 people · home $187,400
Highgate questions
Is Highgate, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Highgate scores better for retirees than 7% of Vermont towns and quieter than 69%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Highgate?
The median owner-occupied home in Highgate is valued at $280,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,017, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $895 a month.
What is the weather like in Highgate?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows 8.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 79.9 inches of snow.
Does Highgate get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highgate since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 3, 1970. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)